Tears of The Stone Witch
by Fragments Of Dreams
Summary: Sakura was born in England when magic was feared and loathed. After being convicted of witchcraft, she fled to the forest, failing to save her mother and family. A curse followed her mother's execution, and after 7 years of suffering, a young foreigner comes to save the town, and possibly Sakura from her own despair. SxS. Dark fic.


_**Author's notes:**_

_**Well, a note for anyone wondering why I've used the dub names: This is placed in the Early Modern period in England and Japanese names would seem very unlikely in the setting. So please bear with it if you find the dub names inconvenient.**_

_**And if anyone's wondering, yes I am naming each chapter after a Tarot Card.**_

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_**Tears of The Stone Witch  
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_**Prologue: The Wanderer (The Fool)**_

_The late 14__th__ century marked the gradual crescendo of an infamous panic in Great Britain. It was the start of the Witch Hunts all across Europe. Where women in general were very respected, some jealous fanatics fed misconceptions into the Protestant community who were the majority of the then great kingdom of Britain. Soon, women, Jews and Muslims became the reflections of, in their words, __foes to friendship, inescapable punishments and unnecessary evils. In the women's case, they were condemned as a natural temptation, a desirable calamity, a domestic danger, a delectable detriment, an evil nature, painted with fair colors._

_Amidst the fear and insecurity bred by the despicable individuals, there still remained some cities and villages that respected women and the said community with respect. In such a small town a baby girl was born to the scholar Aiden Avalon and the Druid healer Natasha Avalon.  
_

_They both were very respected, Aiden for his learning and because he was the teacher of the local school, and Natasha for the free medical treatment she gave to the villagers by the means of her impeccable knowledge of herbs that grew in the neighboring forest. They had another child named Troi Avalon who was older and known by the whole little town for helping the people run errands and doing chores and work for a small fee.  
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_The birth of the second child brought about much joy for the small family. Born in the middle of spring, she had copper hair and eyes that could easily be mistaken for emeralds.  
_

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Natasha was lying on the bed, still exhausted after one day, but the little child sleeping soundly beside her wrapped in a blanket made all of her fatigue feel like nothing. She looked at the baby with adoring eyes, the familiar feeling that could only be described as "love at first sight" rising in her heart for the third time in her life. (The first being the first time she met her husband and the second time she first saw her firstborn child Troi.)

As she was thinking of a name to give her, she reconsidered naming her "Nikki". But Her train of thought was interrupted by a soft knock on the door.

"Come in!" She said, and in came her seven year old son Troi, looking rather flustered and worried.

"What is it Troi?" She asked, half rising from her bed and looking at him with questioning eyes.

He fidgeted for a moment before saying ashamedly, "I-I brought a man here I found near the town outskirts. He was injured and I couldn't say no when he asked me to take him to the healer..."

Natasha smiled at this. She knew Troi felt guilty for bothering her in this state, but she knew her son to be kinder than he appears and he couldn't leave a helpless person without treatment.

She rose slowly and told Troi to bring her bag of herbs. She entered the small room she used to keep a patient if he or she needed to be looked after intensively. She saw a man with formal attire of a noble and a black and golden cloak, long hair and a fair complexion lying in the bed. A pair of spectacles lay on the small table near the bed. The healer approached him and saw that he was breathing shallowly. A dark patch near his hip gave evidence of a near fatal wound that was bleeding heavily. Troi brought in her supply of herbs and she began treating him.

After a few hours, he seemingly was out of danger, and Natasha went to check on the baby who had started crying again, leaving Troi to look after him for a while.

She was walking around with the child in her arms to calm her, and soon her daughter stopped crying and smiled just a bit.

"Aaah, what a most beautiful smile she has!" A deep voice came from behind him. It was the man, looking impeccably fit and happy, with Troi coming meekly behind him.

"Thank you." Natasha said, smiling at him.

"No m'dear, it is I who should be thanking you. You and this wonderful boy here!" He said gesturing toward a flustered Troi and giving Natasha a courteous bow (which seemed oddly stiff to her).

"It was my duty. What kind of person could ever leave someone in need alone when they can help him?" She said modestly.

"Very fine ideals my lady. May I know your names?" He said politely.

"Oh, I nearly forgot to introduce myself. I am Natasha Avalon." She said courtesying. "And my son's name is Troi."

"Very nice to meet you! And what might this lovely lady's name be?" He asked, coming close to Natasha to take a better look at the child.

"We haven't named her yet." She replied.

"Hmm... Such a beautiful lady should have a name befitting her. Why don't you name her "Sakura"? He said graciously.

"Sakra? Don't you mean "Sarah"?" She said, thinking that he had mispronounced the name.

He smiled in an amused way before replying, "Not "Sakra" or "Sarah", Sa-ku-ra. It is the Japanese word for "cherry-blossom""

"Look! She likes it!" Troi said, speaking for the first time in a while, as he pointed at his sister.

It was true, at the word Sa-ku-ra the baby gave a radiant smile. "So it is decided!" The stranger said happily. "Now, if you would excuse me, I must take my leave."

"But shouldn't you rest for a while longer?" The ravenette said worriedly.

"Don't worry, I'm a quick healer. And your excellent treatment has me healthy as I can be." He said dismissively and smartly left their home.

"Wait! At least introduce yourself!" Troi called after him. He paused on the way outside and said mysteriously.

"I'm just a humble wanderer, a fool looking for his destiny."

He exited, and still worried about his health, Natasha followed him outside, only finding that he had disappeared with no trace in just these few moments.

**_END_**

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_**Opinions and Criticism are very appreciated.**_**_ Please Review!  
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